viv jones

Hello to those of you out in New Zealand already!
I am currently packing for the container and cannot decide what to do with Christmas stuff i.e. lights, decorations etc.
I know it is summer in Dec obviously!..... therefore do you do the lights thing and is there any point in the tree decorations? If you do still do the tree stuff are there real trees or are they really expensive so shall I buy a good artificial to bring out!!!
Such tricky decisions so I would really appreciate a bit of NZ guidance please!
Viv

luvwelly

I hate Summer Christmas....the first year I got out my big artificial tree (hours of work) but found because it goes dark so late, you hardly put the lights on...so the following year we were going away anyway for Christmas itself so I just bought a fibreoptic one from the Warehouse and put some sparkly NZ decs on it for during the day and that worked much better.
This year we will be home again so will probably brave the big one again...but it does seem rather pointless....give me Winter Christmas anyday. Think how much you should bother depends on the kids' ages really.

Christmas is one of those things which is definitely different and certainly not better i.m.h.o. but not having close friends and family around doesn't help either so maybe that's also part of the reason I have such a downer on it.

A Kiwi said and I agree that it is too much at once...Xmas and School Summer Holidays in the same few weeks....and then the long long haul until they come round again.

There is a lot of Christmas stuff around in the shops (even crackers) but few people seem to bother with cards and it all just seems a bit incongruous given the sunny weather...even the traditional colours red and green don't really suit the weather.
Loads of restaurants and cafes close down for the holidays (two weeks or more) and everyone disappears to their baches...etc etc a bit like Paris in August maybe.

You can buy trees both kinds here - wouldn't say they are particularly expensive but no experience of real ones...unless in Kirkcaldies, the stuff available here is at the tackier end of the market so you may want to bring your own. You can get better quality fibreoptics in UK...that works well with the light evenings.
If I had to sum up NZ Xmas in one expression, it would be: low key or even Bah Humbug!.
To my horror Farmers in Queensgate Mall has Xmas choccies and Xmas teddy bears in stock on a centralised display already...don't they know it's only September????

viv jones

Thanks very much for the reply even if it was baaa humbug!!!!!!
I have children of 10 and 12 telling me we must take everything and me thinking sun and daylight are just are not going to make this work!!!!
I might well go out and invest in a fiber optic tree as you suggest...having only done the real thing before...in my ignorance do you put decorations on them or is this a no no with the built in lights?
Viv

dmiles

Hi, I was interested in your question about Decorations etc, for Xmas in NZ. We too will be there and to be honest I wasn't going to bother but now I may take some of my better quality bits then and also look at a Fibre Optic Tree and yes they can be decorated with whatever you want, tinsle etc...no problem about the Bulbs. Enjoy !!!!!

luvwelly

You can get wooden decorations here a bit like these http://www.yesholyland.com/Olive%20w..._ornaments.JPG
and there are some NZ themed ones such as embroidered NZ birds (also classy) and Santa in beachwear etc etc if you want the tacky...I have decided to embrace the NZ stuff although if I do go back to my big tree this year, I will do baubles to match decor....definitely not red and green (I have extensive bauble collection lol)...not sure I'll bother with the lights at all and just put small fibreoptic on the dining table or sth.

This is the kind of NZ themed stuff on the market here: http://www.eyebright.co.nz/shop/Christmas+Decorations
You also get stuff made out of paua shell which is quite attractive.

willand tina_h

You have me thinking again now about our collection too. removal company said it was not good to take our decs etc with us due to them having to get checked by maf, so decided we would leave all ours here plus we would not have anything to put up this year if its to be our last one as plan was that the container would be long gone before xsmas, that may not be happening now anyway, (thats another whole thread in itself) lol.

HHHHMMM.............. Think I may now have to go through them and at least send our best and memorable ones.

Tina. x

luvwelly

You can buy lots of coloured glass bauble ones made in China here as well...just like in UK. The only thing MAFF are worried about with Xmas decs is pine cones as far as I am aware - they cut them off my artificial tree...wasn't too painful for me

viv jones

I love this site ......it is so helpful with these tricky but basic decisions!!!
Great links and help....I hope you enjoy Christmas this year with the big tree back out! I will be thinking of you come Christmas day!! Thank You
Viv

lapsed kiwi

Just to say as a kid in NZ I loved Christmas - including the whole tree decration thing - and our kids seem to love it too. It's just a change of emphasis and a "proper" duration - ie it lasts for some of Advent and then a few days afterwards, not the whole autumn like in UK. Also, part of the excitment for kids is the long summer holidays and havng fun outdoors in the good weather, so presents for the beach etc are good

NakiMan

After three years in NZ, I've come to terms with Christmas in mid summer and we still to the whole decorated tree and cards thing.

Whats really weird is Easter in the Autumn !!!

viv jones

Could i ask my last two reponses whether they use artificial trees and do you put lights on them given that it is summer and not dark until late? I was thinking the optic light tree did seem a good idea that was mentioned earlier! In which case I will leave the endless supply of UK lights we have here in a charity shop!
Viv

TeamEmbo

We brought all our decs and lights and artificial tree with us. The first Christmas was odd. No build up as such, carolers in the shops, dark gloomy days to make you think of log fires, egg nog and a winter wonderland! It was clear blue skies and hot everyday. My usual 'script' for Christmas was out the window, OH and kids had decided they wanted a BBQ on Xmas day, and I felt a bit lost and sad. So I decided the best way forward was get a new script! Our Christmas tree is now decorated in sparkly pale greens and blues and purple tinsel and baubles. We have sparkly Christmas fish baubles, and surfboards, [tacky] little wooden santas in togs on surfboards and chains of irridescent starfish and seashells. The kids still put on their keepsake decs and of glass snowmen and rocking horses etc and a traditional Santa still sits atop the tree. I know it sounds odd and a little tacky but to me its a little bit of the old for nostalgia's sake and a little bit of our new Christmas in the sun life.

We went to the CCH Christmas party in the park and to the Christmas late night shopping evening on the town street to get some atmosphere and Xmas spirit. The BBQ was lovely. I actually enjoyed not being stuck in the kitchen all day catering to family and friends and for a change got see and play with the kids. As it was 34 degs that day we spent a lot of it in the hot tub and yeah, as it turned out it was nice to start some new traditions and not to feel like I had to spend a fortune buying all the usual fare to please everyone else.

TeamEmbo

If they're not going to compromise bringing something else, I would bring them. You might not use them at Christmas but you could use them for other things, kids parties, mid-winter Christmas (if you want to do that), in the garden for BBQs etc.

I still put lights on the tree as sometimes its nice to pull the curtains, put on an old Xmas fav dvd and feel sentimental

viv jones

Thank you. I had thought that maybe there were other times in the year where the lights could come out too, especially the outdoor ones. I know my 10yr old will pull the curtains and decorate her room any time of the year if lights are involved! I think I will bring them and see how it goes and as you say ...go with the flow a little!
Viv

BEVS

We brought our tree and ALL our decorations with no problems at all. I declared them to MAF and the container wasn't even inspected.

We still get the ole tree and decs out for Christmas & that's with no kids about. It is the summer holidays and although families do go camping up and over New Year, mostly they stay local for Christmas .

Even if it does all feel a bit 'odd' doing this in Summer, you may all decide to do the New Zealand thing and have a mid-winter celebration. People get out their lights and sometimes their trees and do the whole roast dinner thing, mince pie thing.